PopaHALLics

PopaHALLics #170 "Little House on the Prehistoric"

Find out what happens when Anne Hathaway must battle dinosaurs ... "Little House on the Prairie" gets a reboot ... Coyote sues the ACME Corporation. Plus music by bands featuring a movie star AND movie star kids!

Theaters:

• "Coyote Vs. ACME." After years of injuring himself and NOT catching the Roadrunner with faulty products, Wile E. Coyote sues in this live-action animated comedy. Starring Will Forte, John Cena, Lana Condor, and all your Looney Tunes favorites.

Streaming:

• "The End of Oak Street," for rental. In this sci-fi thriller, a 1980s neighborhood mysteriously gets transported to a prehistoric landscape—with lots of hungry dinosaurs. Starring Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, gas-guzzling cars and questionable fashion.
• "Little House on the Prairie," Netflix. Unlike the 1970s series, the latest adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's books is more realistic about the harsh frontier of Kansas and includes more diverse perspectives, such as the Ingalls family's Osage neighbors. Starring Luke Bracey, Crosby Fitzgerald, Skywalker Hughes, and Alice Halsey as Laura.
• "The Gentlemen," Netflix. In season 2 of Guy Ritchie's dark comedy crime drama, reluctant aristocrat Eddie (Theo James) changes into a ruthless criminal mastermind expanding his drug empire with the help of Susie (Kaya Scodelario).
• "Colin from Accounts," Paramount +. Three years after Gordon (Patrick Brammall) awkwardly proposed to Ashley (Harriet Dyer) at their friends' wedding in this Australian rom-com, the two have moved on to other people. But have they, really? We'll find out if these star-crossed lovers end up together, since this is the show's final season.

Books:

• "Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingall Wilder," by Caroline Fraser. This comprehensive, Pulitzer Prize-winning 2017 historical biography looks at the life of Wilder, the author of the "Little House on the Prairie" books.
• "The Dog Stars," by Peter Heller. Skip the Ridley Scott movie version and go to the source, this moving novel about love and loss, physical and emotional survival, and hope in a time when a flu pandemic has wiped out most of humanity and the survivors are scrabbling for food, shelter, etc.

Music:

Movie stars and music! Kevin Bacon and his older brother have the Bacon Brothers Band. Josh Brolin's daughter Eden and Bill Pullman's son Lewis also have a band (Atta Boy). How are they? Find out with our PopaHALLics #170 Playlist (Bacon)!

PopaHALLics #169 "Raise Your Voice"

It's time to speak up: Ted Lasso for AFC Richmond's new female soccer team; the "Ride or Die" friends for reach other; a son of 1960s radicals for himself; even a killer robot for herself (itself?). And we talk protest songs too.

Streaming:

• "Ted Lasso," Apple TV. Once again Ted (Jason Sudeikis) returns across the pond to coach soccer in Richmond, this time for the new women's team. Returning are Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca), Juno Temple (Keeley), Brett Goldstein (Roy), and Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard), with Tanya Reynolds as the assistant coach passed over for the head job.
• "The Trouble with Jessica," YouTube. In this 2023 dark comedy, a couple (Shirley Henderson and Alan Tudyk) trying to sell their home hold a dinner party. The night turns into mayhem due to an uninvited guest (Indira Varma).
• "Ride or Die," Prime. Best friends Debbie (Octavia Spenser) and Judith (Hannah Waddingham) have secrets from each other in this action comedy series. Debbie hasn't read the book for her book club; Judith is an assassin.
• "Three," Kanopy. Kai''s bad day turns worse when a stranger (Eric Roberts) in a bar prophesies he will die in three days. Caleb Ruminer and Anna Grace Barlow star in this 2026 rom-com movie that veers from serious to whimsical.
• "Companion," HBO Max. In this 2025 sci-fi thriller,  a weekend getaway at a remote cabin turns deadly thanks to the erratic behavior of a guest—who discovers she's a robot. Starring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid.
• "Sneakers," streaming. In this high-tech caper, a team of renegade hackers is hired to retrieve an elusive black box. Starring Robert Redford, Sydney Poitier, Dan Aykroyd, River Phoenix, and David Strathairn.

Books:

• "Dangerous, Dirty, Violent and Young: A Fugitive Family in the Revolutionary Underground," by Zayd Ayers Dohrn. This 2026 memoir explores his childhood as the son of Weather Underground leaders, examining his parents' radical history on the run and the emotional toll of political extremism.
• "A Monster Calls," by David Ness and Siobhan Dowd. In this 2011 award-winning dark fantasy for young readers, a monster visits a boy in denial about his mother's terminal cancer. Ness wrote the book from an idea by Dowd, who died of cancer before she could start it.

Music:

Steve seeing protest singer Jesse Wells in concert inspired our PopaHALLics #169 Playlist (Protest), with protest songs old and new. We also include music by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, an old Kate favorite that she recently rediscovered.

PopaHALLics #168 "Blast(s) From the Past"

We discuss writer/director Christopher Nolan's epic take on Homer's nearly 3000-year-old poem "The Odyssey." Kate's back too, talking about old—and new—favorites she watched while recovering from surgery.

Theaters:

• "The Odyssey." Greek warrior Odyssey spends 10 hard yeasr trying to get home after the Trojan War. Plagued by the gods, or just needing GPS? Starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as his wife Penelope, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo, and Charlize Therzon.

Streaming:

• "Disclosure Day," various streamers. Director Steven Spielberg returns to one of his favorite subjects with this action-packed adventure about a cybersecurity expert (Josh O'Connor) and a TV meteorologist (Emily Blunt) trying to expose the existence of alien life. A government contractor (Colin Firth) wants to silence them.
• "The Rip," Netflix. Damon and buddy Ben Affleck star in this action thriller based on real events. When a group of Miami cops discover millions in cash during a house raid, is one or more of them actually trying to steal it? With Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, and Kyle Chandler.
• "Lucky," Apple TV. When a multi-million-dollar heist goes wrong, con artist Lucky (Anya Taylor-Joy) must figure out who conned her while running for her life. This miniseries also stars Annette Benning and Timothy Olyphant.
• "Rental Family," Hulu, Disney +, YouTube. In Japan, a struggling actor (Brendan Fraser) takes an unusual gig playing stand-in roles for strangers. When he's asked to pretend to be a young girl's father, the lines between performance and reality begin to blur in this film.
• "I Will Find You," Netflix. This miniseries is based on Harlan Coben's novel. A father (Sam Worthington) imprisoned for his son's murder receives evidence suggesting his child may be alive. He escapes and seeks the truth. 
• "Dublin Murders," Tubi. Two detectives (Killian Scott and Sarah Greene) investigate a young girl's murder on the outskirts of Dublin. This TV series is based on Tana French's novels "In the Woods" and "The Likeness."
• "Voicemails for Isabelle," Netflix. In this rom-com, a young woman (Zoey Deutch) copes with her sister's death by leaving voicemails for her describing her chaotic life in San Francisco. A mysterious real estate agent (Nick Robinson) unwittingly begins to receive the messages.
• "Grantchester," Passport (PBS). This British series about a clergyman investigating mysterious wrongdoings in his small village with the help of an overworked detective inspector ends with its 11th season. 
• "Blast from the Past," Tubi. In this 1999 romantic comedy, Adam (Brendan Fraser) has lived his entire life in a fallout shelter. When he finally comes to the surface, he finds the nuclear apocalypse didn't occur—and meets gorgeous Eve (Alicia Silverstone).

PopaHALLics #167 "Alien in Heartland"

Five people trapped in a house during what may or may not be an alien invasion begin to suspect one of them is a shape-shifting alien. That's the "Twilight Zone"-like premise of "Alien in the Heartland," an independent film made in Indiana and available to rent or buy on Prime Video. We interview writer/director Eric Pascarelli and four of the five key actors:

• James Tackett, who plays Thomas, a retired movie propmaster still grieving the death of his wife, on the anniversary of her death.
• Tori Behny, who plays Roxy, his daughter, dealing with her own emotions about losing her mom in addition to her dad's spiraling behaviors and this crisis.
• Daisy Paroczy Hickey, who plays Thomas' sister-in-law, Kim, who chooses a very bad time to visit.
• Holly Anspaugh, who plays Ellie, who gets trapped in the house with her younger sister Johanna (Chloe Lutz). The two sisters have dealt with the deaths of their parents in very different ways.

A fifth character in "Alien in the Heartland" is the Dr. Richard Davis House, also known as "Woodside," a historic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Marion, Indiana. The futuristic-looking Usonian style home was constructed in 1955.

Here is the trailer for "Alien in the Heartland." 

The trailer for Eric's next movie "Method to the Madness," a dramedy about a Method actor coaching basketball, just came out. It features several of these same actors.

The Fair Use Doctrine of U.S. copyright law allows for the limited unauthorized use of copyrighted material for purposes of comment and criticism.

PopaHALLics #166 "Lost and Found"

This episode's all about discovery: Finding a space villain's kidnapped son, rescued puppies and true love in NYC, a way to keep your creative spark against autism, and, yes, even creepy monsters hidden in the walls of a retirement community.

Theaters:

• "The Mandalorian & Grogu." In the latest "Star Wars" big-screen release, the masked gunfighter (Pedro Pascal) and his adorable sidekick take on a rescue mission of ... Jabba the Hutt's son?! With Signourey Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, Martin Scorsese. 

Streaming:

• "The Burroughs," Netflix. The Duffer Brothers try to repeat "Stranger Things" success, only this time their heroes are an intrepid band of senior citizens dealing with supernatural goings-on. With Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, and Geena Davis. There's no long life in this retirement community: The show's already canceled after just one season.
• "Room to Move," Netflix. When an autism diagnosis sets her world spinning, dancer and choreographer Jenn Freeman tries to regain her creative center in this intimate documentary.
• "Tornado," Kanopy. In this unusual period action thriller, a Japanese teen (Koki) faces off against a scruffy band of outlaws headed by the Sugar Man (Tim Roth) and his resentful son (Jack Lowden from "Slow Horses") in Scotland in the 1790s.
• "Emma Shay," YouTube and "Holistic Emma," Instagram. Chronicles her transforming an abandoned general store into a homestead and botanical farm.
• "Kathleen Illustrated," YouTube and Instagram. This illustrator, thrifter, and creative is focused on personal expression through sustainable style and craft.

Books:

• "Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About," by Isabel Klee. In this memoir, Klee tells the story of the dogs she's rescued and her journey toward love in New York City. Her first true love is Simon, a puppy saved from the meat trade.

The Fair Use Doctrine of U.S. copyright law allows for the limited unauthorized use of copyrighted material for purposes of comment and criticism.

PopaHALLics #165 "Baaaad People?"
If a shepherd is kind to his sheep but combative with humans, is he still a good person? When Iggy Pop rolled around in glass, was he just embodying the spirit of punk rock? And then there's the husband who suddenly abandons his 20-year marriage and his wife and kids ... We discuss all of them, and more, on this episode.

Theaters:

• "The Sheep Detectives." When a devoted shepherd (Hugh Jackman) dies under mysterious circumstances, several of his sheep set out to find his killer in this witty, cute, and weirdly profound movie. With Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris O'Dowd, Emma Thompson, Bryan Cranston, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, and Bella Ramsey.

Streaming:

• "Marty, Life is Short," Netflix. This documentary about beloved comedian Martin Short explores his career and personal triumphs and tragedies. With Steve Martin, Catherine O'Hara, John Mulaney, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and more. Directed by writer/director Lawrence Kasdan ("The Big Chill," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Body Heat," "The Empire Strikes Back").
• "Only in Monroe," YouTube. After his last "Late Show" on CBS, Stephen Colbert guest-hosted a public access show in Monroe, Michigan, just as he did in 2015 before starting "The Late Show." With Jeff Daniels, Jack White, and a lot of laughs.

Books:

• "Strangers: A Memoir of a Marriage," by Belle Burden. This 2026 memoir chronicles the collapse of Burden's 20-year marriage during the COVID-19 pandemic, when her husband left her and their three children.
• "Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk," by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain. In this ultra-raw blast of sex, drugs, and rock & roll first published in 1996, those who lived it recall the punk rock movement, from its origins at the tail end of Andy Warhol's Factory movement to its demise at '80s corporate rock. One of the great rock & rock books of all time.
• "The Sun Down Motel," by Simone St. James. Both a creepy ghost story and a riveting mystery, this novel follows two women - Viv, who sets out in 1982 to discover who's haunting a run-down motel, and Carly, who sets out in 2017 to solve why her aunt Viv went missing.
• A Beast Slinks Toward Beijing," by Alice Evelyn Yang. This magic realism debut follows a Chinese family through the 20th century when an estranged daughter is reunited with her father, who is haunted by a prophecy and his past.

Music:

Raye spent years writing for and producing records for major pop artists like Beyonce, Rhianna, and John Legend. Now she's a solo artist blending pop, jazz, R&B, dance, and soul into her own music. You'll find songs by Raye as well as some of the punk rockers from "Please Kill Me" on PopaHALLics #165 Playlist (Punks).

The Fair Use Doctrine of U.S. copyright law allows for the limited unauthorized use of copyrighted material for purposes of comment and criticism.

PopaHALLics #164 "Damaged Goods"

Damaged people make for good pop in this episode, from a Neil Diamond tribute band with trouble at the door to a widow keeping busy to cope with her son's disappearance over 30 years ago in "Remarkably Bright Creatures."

Streaming:

• "Remarkably Bright Creatures," Netflix. This movie adaptation of Shelby Van Pelt's novel stars Sally Field as a night shift aquarium worker who forms a bond with a curmudgeonly giant Pacific octopus (voiced by Alfred Molina).
• "Widow's Bay," Apple TV. A new mayor (Matthew Rhys) tries to turn his island town into a tourist destination despite its dark past in this comedy horror series. With Stephen Root and Kate O'Flynn.
• "Patience," BBC.  An autistic police archivist (Ella Maisy Purvis) helps a detective inspector (Laura Fraser) solve crimes in this Belgian/British drama.
• "Song Sung Blue," Hulu. Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson star as a Neil Diamond tribute band in Milwaukee in this heartwarming movie about the trials and tribulations of their relationship.
• "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord," Disney Plus. Animated. The horned, red and black devilish villain from "The Phantom Menace" tries to rebuild his criminal empire and woo a Jedi apprentice to the Dark Side.

Books:

• "The Twelve LIves of Alfred Hitchcock: An Anatomy of the Master of Suspense," by Edward White. This 2021 Edgar Award-winning biography explores the famed director through 12 distinct facets of his life, such as "The Voyeur," "The Entertainer," and "The Murderer."
• "Hex House," by Amy Jane Stewart. A dark feminist horror novel set in Scotland. Hex House is a magical safe haven that turns abused women into vessels of revenge.
• "Hitchcock's Blondes: The Unforgettable Women Behind the Legendary Director's Dark Obsession," by Laurence Leamer. This book covers some of the same subjects as "The Twelve Lives," but puts the women at the center of the story, with an emphasis on misbehavior (mainly Hitchcock's) and sex (mainly them).

Music:

PopaHALLics #164 Playlist (Kacey) features selections from Kacey Musgraves' new album "Middle of Nowhere," as well as Jackman and Hudson performing Neil Diamond's hits from the "Song Sung Blue" soundtrack.

The Fair Use Doctrine of U.S. copyright law allows for the limited unauthorized use of copyrighted material for purposes of comment and criticism.

PopaHALLics #163 "Pop-ping up Everywhere"

Buckle up, kids! On this episode, we zoom around from deep space to 1998 New York to Palestine to Ireland to a Mormon community in Utah to Elle Fanning's bedroom. Note: Three of the trailers below open with someone waking up gasping. Prepare to be breathless!  

Theaters:

• "Project Hail Mary." In this huge sci-fi hit, a high school science teacher (Ryan Gosling) must reluctantly save the Earth. And make an unlikely friend in the process. Based on the novel by Andy Weir ("The Martian").

Streaming:

• "Caught Stealing," Netflix. Watching his neighbor's cat forces a former baseball prodigy (Austin Butler) into contact with some very bad gangsters in this violent dark comedy. With Regina King, Zoe Kravitz, Liev Schreiber, and Vincent D'Onofrio. Extra points if you spot Griffin Dunne!
• "Margo's Got Money Troubles," Apple TV. A single mom college student (Elle Fanning) uses her creative skills to get money through an Only Fans account in this comedy drama. With Michelle Pfeiffer and Nick Offerman.
• "Trust Me: The False Prophet," Netflix. In this documentary, a cult expert and her husband embed themselves in a Mormon community, where Samuel Bateman claims to be the successor to imprisoned prophet Warren Jeffs.
• "War Machine," Netflix. During the final stage of Army Ranger selection, an elite team's training exercise turns into a very real fight for survival against an alien threat in this action thriller. Starring Alan Ritchson and Dennis Quaid.
• "The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson," Netflix. This documentary explores "the vibrant life of a pro cyclist, her shocking murder, and how far her killer went to evade capture" (Netflix).

Books:

• "Too Soon," by Betty Shamieh. This 2025 debut novel follows three generations of Palestinian women as they navigate love, identity, and displacement from 1948 to the present day.
• "Murder in G Major: A Gethsemane Brown Mystery," by Alexia Gordon. In this 2015 cozy mystery, a struggling African-American conductor' takes a job working with high school musicians in Ireland and living in a cliffside cottage. The ghost of the cottage''s owner, a famous composer, asks for her help in clearing his name of the murders of his wife and himself. Witty and fun.

The Fair Use Doctrine of U.S. copy[right law allows for the limited unauthorized use of copyrighted materials for purposes such as comment and criticism.

PopaHALLics #162 "Many (Happy) Returns?

People come back on this episode—to the past, to gangland trouble in the present, to a murder that keeps occurring, and to home.

Theaters:

• "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie." When Princess Rosalina gets kidnapped by Bowser Jr., Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach are on the case. With the voices of Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, and more.

Streaming:

• "Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man," Netflix. In this movie sequel to the series, will Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) return from self-imposed exile in time to prevent the gang's new leader, his son, from making a terrible mistake?
• "Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice," Hulu. This unusual crime comedy finds future Nick (Vince Vaughn) traveling through time to try to save his associate Mike (James Marsden) when the gang suspects a rat.
• "The Outrun," Netflix. After living life on the edge, Rona (Saoirse Ronan) tries to come to terms with her troubled past by returning to Scotland's Orkney Islands.

Books:

• "The Man Who Died Seven Times," by Yasuhiko Nishizawa. In this twisty, clever murder mystery, a college student stuck in a time loop attempts to prevent his grandfather's murder and learn the killer's identity.
• "Heart the Lover," by Lily King. Both a prequel and sequel to "Writers and Lovers," this novel explores a college love triangle decades later when the narrator is forced to confront her past.
• "Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery," by Fred Van Lente. When ten comedians are summoned to a remote island to meet a legendary comic, someone begins killing them off one by one. A funny, sometimes gory novel.
• "Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng," by Kylie Lee Baker. As women are murdered in Chinatown, a young Chinese-American wonders if she is haunted by a "hungry ghost" or a vampire in this horror novel. 

The Fair Doctrine doctrine of U.S. copyright law allows for the unauthorized limited use of copyrighted materials for such purposes as comment and criticism.

PopaHALLics #161 "All in the Family"

Family runs through this episode, whether it's a crime family with a manipulative matriarch, a family of animals (dinosaurs)  or a homeless-looking guy trying to build a "family" from hostages to stop technology from taking over the world.

In Theaters:

• "Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die." In this sci-fi action comedy with crazy visuals, a man claims to have come from the future to prevent dangerous AI. Starring Sam Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson, and Juno Temple.

Streaming:

• "How to Get from Heaven to Belfast," Netflix. In this Irish comic mystery/thriller from the creator of "Derry Girls," three lifelong friends attending the wake of a fourth realize something's amiss.
• "Animal Kingdom," Prime. Ellen Barkin stars as a crime family matriarch who rules her sons and grandson with borderline incestuous love. Six seasons of this American crime drama, based on an Australian film, are available.
• "The Dinosaurs," Netflix.  With stunning CGI, this four-episode series from producer Stephen Spielberg traces the rise and fall of the dinosaurs.  Morgan Freeman narrates this spiritual successor to "Life on Our Planet" (2023).

Books:

• "Empire of Madness: Reimagining Western Mental Health for Everyone," by Khameer Kidia. A physician argues our mental healthcare system focuses on medicating symptoms rather than addressing root causes like history, culture, and political structures. 

Music:

• Harry Styles returns with the disco and electronic-pop-tinged album, "Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally." And cohost Steve Hall releases his first solo record in 13 years, "It's Alive" (Remastered), as well as "First Wind" by his band the Windbag Brothers. All are featured on PopaHALLics #161 Playlist (Harry).

The Fair Use Doctrine of U.S. copyright law allows limited unauthorized use of copyrighted material for such purposes as comment and criticism.